#not even the guy who maintains the Amphibian Species of the World database

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The Daily Thistle

The Daily Thistle – News From Scotland

Saturday 11th March 2017

"Madainn Mhath” …Fellow Scot, I hope the day brings joy to you…. Big Fat Moon hangs pendulously in the early morning sky… one day more and it will be “Full” and reflecting light in all its glory… not that it isn’t doing a grand job this morning almost daylight at 4.00 am as Bella and I start our morning walk… A big Owl swoops down the tree lined road, on the hunt for food for the young me thinks, as I watch it drift silently by, plenty of rodents to catch, maybe even the odd wild kitten as I say It’s a dangerous world out there….

OPEN-AIR CONCERT ANNOUNCED FOR SKYE’S CUILLIN…. It is the rocky mountain range that offers some of the most rugged landscapes and challenging climbs in Britain. But now the Cuillin on the Isle of Skye is set to provide the backdrop to a spectacular open-air concert. Audiences will face a two-hour walk from Glen Brittle beach to the corrie where the hour-long performance will unfold. The “Concert in a Coire” event, which will have a capacity of 75, will be staged in near-darkness and postponed in the event of a downpour. Just two musicians, violinist George Smith and cellist Duncan Strachan, will be joining forces with sound engineer Sam Annand to stage the site-specific performance in the natural “amphitheatre” of Coire Lagan. However, a 30-strong team of mountain guides and volunteers will be working on the concert on 15 April, which is believed to be the first event of its type to be staged in the Cuillin. It will feature specially created music and sound effects inspired by the corrie, which boasts a tiny loch surrounded by gigantic rock peaks, Skye’s traditional music heritage and ancient Gaelic song. Field recordings of water, wind and rock captured in the area will be deployed in the show, which will also feature lighting effects will transform the corrie as the natural light fades from the day. Each audience member will be given a head torch for the walk back down the mountain path from Coire Lagan to Glen Brittle, where local produce and ales will be served up on their return from the concert. The concert will be staged 12 years on from arts organisations NVA’s acclaimed sound and light show The Storr, which brought 6,500 people onto the Old Man of Storr at Trotternish, on Skye.

PAOLO NUTINI DENIES BEING TWICE OVER DRINK DRIVE LIMIT… Songwriter Paolo Nutini has denied on Wednesday drink driving in a Mini. The New Shoes star appeared at the sheriff court in his home town of Paisley, Renfrewshire, to face claims he took to the wheel while more than twice the drink-drive limit. The singer, who has released three platinum albums, denies he broke Section 5(1)(a) of the Road Traffic Act 1988 when driving along the town’s Maxwellton Street, Canal Street and High Road. Prosecutors claim he had 48 microgrammes of alcohol in 100ml of breath - more than double the 22mcg legal limit - while driving a Mini Cooper S three-door hatchback. The 30-year-old was arrested over the alleged offence on 21 February and was released on an undertaking to appear at court. When he appeared in the dock yesterday defence solicitor Massimo Franchi told Sheriff Derek Hamilton his client maintained his innocence. The lawyer said: “I appear with Mr Nutini, who pleads not guilty to the charge.” He asked for Nutini to be ordained to appear at future hearings, as opposed to being released on bail, and asked for his attendance to be excused from a pre-trial hearing because of his commitments. He explained: “I have spoken to the Crown in relation to this matter - they know what the specific defence is in this case.

BENJAMIN LUDWIG FOUND AFTER COVE BELONGINGS SEARCH… A German man who sparked an appeal for sightings after his belongings were found on a clifftop path outside Aberdeen has been found safe and well. Items belonging to Benjamin Ludwig, 34, had been discovered at Cove on Sunday. Police Scotland said on Wednesday that he had been traced safe and well, and thanked the public and media for helping.

NATTERJACK TOAD NUMBERS INCREASE FIVEFOLD ON MERSEHEAD RESERVE…. Natterjack toad numbers have increased fivefold on an RSPB Scotland reserve during the course of a three-year conservation project. Work started at Mersehead in Dumfries and Galloway in 2013 after severe winter storms hit the area. They had destroyed sand dunes which the rare amphibians often hibernate in and there were concerns for their survival. At the start of the project about 30 breeding males were counted on the site but numbers have now reached 150. The Solway Firth is the only place natterjacks can be found in Scotland. Works to help boost their numbers at Mersehead included the creation of shallow ponds for the toads to breed in. RSPB Scotland set up a "mugshot database" of natterjack toad photographs during its surveys, to ensure that the same individuals were not being counted night after night. Natterjach toad carries a unique wart pattern and yellow "racing stripe" on its back which together act much like a human fingerprint. James Silvey, RSPB Scotland's species and habitats officer, said: "It's fantastic to see that the natterjack population is responding to the habitat management we've put in place. "The evidence of toads breeding in three of the five ponds we made for them in 2015 is a real highlight. "Natterjack populations are declining across most of their range in Scotland due to climate change and inappropriate management, making the population at Mersehead all the more important." He said they hoped to see numbers increase further and more work is planned to expand the habitat available to the toads.

TRACKER DEVICE LOCATES GLASGOW CAR THIEF…. The stolen car was fitted with a tracker and belonged to James Watson - a manager at an Arnold Clarke dealership. A thief who stole a man's car from Glasgow's west end was caught because the car had a tracker device. John Devine, 27, demanded James Watson, 32, get out of his Vauxhall Astra and then drove off with it on 2 December last year. The tracker led police to a filling station in Bishopbriggs, where Devine was filling the car with petrol. He pled guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court and was jailed for 10 months and 15 days. Devine, from North Kelvinside, was also disqualified from driving for nine months. When he spotted police at the filling station, he ran off but was caught by officers and claimed: "I didn't steal it, I was borrowing it." The court heard Mr Watson was a manager at an Arnold Clarke dealership. He had just parked on Hopehill Road to start work when Devine approached him. Procurator fiscal depute John Bedford said: "Devine then opened the driver's door and stated to Mr Watson to get out the vehicle." He said Devine started the engine with the keys that were left in the ignition then drove off Mr Bedford added: "It was established that Mr Watson's vehicle was fitted with a tracking system." It was activated and it was used to track the movements of the vehicle.

DUMFRIES AND GALLOWAY FESTIVAL FUNDING FATES REVEALED…. The council supports a wide range of festivals and events across Dumfries and Galloway. Levels of proposed council funding for a string of festivals across Dumfries and Galloway have been revealed. The local authority will give out a total of £275,000 towards a variety of events in 2017/18. The biggest single grants go to the Wigtown Book Festival and the Big Burns Supper in Dumfries. However, they both face a reduction in their funding along with two other "signature events" - Spring Fling and Dumfries and Galloway Arts Festival.

On that note I will say that I hope you have enjoyed the news from Scotland today,

Our look at Scotland today is of Lilly Hurd’s photograph of Scotland for a week or so don’t forget to check her photographs out the link is @findherinthehighlands she is certainly a fine photographer.. Her photograph today shows her talent and displays the Callanish Stones on the Isle of Lewis in all their moody beauty. Please take a few moments to visit her page to express our thanks …Lilly Mae Photography @findherinthehighlands

A Sincere Thank You for your company and Thank You for your likes and comments I love them and always try to reply, so please keep them coming, it's always good fun, As is my custom, I will go and get myself another mug of "Colombian" Coffee and wish you a safe Saturday 11th March 2017 from my home on the southern coast of Spain, where the blue waters of the Alboran Sea washes the coast of Africa and Europe and the smell of the night blooming jasmine and Honeysuckle fills the air…and a crazy old guy and his dog Bella go out for a walk at 4:00 am…on the streets of Estepona…

All good stuff....But remember it’s a dangerous world we live in ….. Be safe out there…

Robert McAngus